There is still no solution to climate change. No huge carbon vacuum exists, and the unimaginable climate-saving tech is yet to be invented.

The reality is that slowing climate change will probably come from slow, widespread, and consistent change. And, according to a recent global LinkedIn study, that change can come from our industries and skills training.

The good news is that environment-first roles are increasingly common. Although global hiring has slowed, and green jobs listings have still increased by 15.2% in the past year, says LinkedIn data.

Workers with at least one green skill have a median hire rate 29% higher than the average worker on LinkedIn.

Three of the top ten fastest growing roles on LinkedIn are sustainability-centered, too: Sustainability Analyst, Sustainability Specialist, and Sustainability Manager.

Green skills are lagging

The issue is the pipeline of workers with the right green skills is struggling to keep up with demand.

Green job listings have grown nearly twice as fast as workers with green skills between 2022 and 2023. So, there is a need to upskill workers with green skills, so they are equipped for the green jobs of the current and the future.

Currently, as it stands globally, only one in eight workers have the skills needed to meet net zero carbon targets. The skills profile for the average LinkedIn role has changed by 24% since 2015, and workers aren’t keeping up.

Credit: LinkedIn’s Global Green Skills Report 2023.

“Tackling climate change requires a transformation of the global labor market, both in terms of the jobs people do and the skills that professionals need,” shared Sue Duke, VP and head of Global Public Policy & Economic Graph at LinkedIn.

“Targeted and tailored reskilling programs and on-the-job training are critical to building a global workforce with the skills to tackle the climate threat,” concluded Duke.

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